Marathon Pipeline Oil Spill - Big Creek

AO Bureau

Also Known As

not available

Incident Type

Oil

State

Indiana

Case Status

Restoration

Location

not available

Authority

OPA

Contaminants of Concern Include

Oil

Affected DOI Resources Include

Threatened and Endangered Species, Migratory Birds

Case Description

At 9:00 pm on March 20, 2018 (Tuesday) Marathon Pipeline reported a potential decrease in pressure in their 10 inch Robinson to Mt Vernon diesel line, indicating a potential pipeline break. Marathon reported a potential release of up to 1,000 bbls (42,000 gallons) of diesel. Field personnel observed diesel in Big Creek, in Posey County, Indiana. Big Creek is a tributary to the Wabash River. There are federally endangered mussels (fat pocketbook) at the bridge crossing identified as spill ground zero and downstream from the release. The location of the pipeline break was approximately 0.4 miles upstream of the Indiana state highway 69 bridge near Solitude, IN (LAT: 38.013152N LONG: -87.899594W). In response to the incident, the Responsible Party(RP), Marathon Pipe Line LLC and its contractors installed booms at the Lower New Harmony Road (~4.6 miles downstream of the breach) and at Wabash Road (~7.6 miles downstream of the breach). Natural resources that were impacted include: ESA listed species including the fat pocketbook pearly mussel, the Indiana bat, and the northern long-eared bat; migratory birds; and various other biota. The Trustees include the State of Indiana, Departments of Environmental Management (IDEM) and Natural Resources (IDNR) and the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service. The Trustees and the RP reached a settlement agreement in December, 2020 whereby the RP agreed to pay the Trustees approximately $412,000. The Trustees are developing in draft Restoration Plan to address restoration of the injured resources.

Buoys deployed downstream to reduce the spread of oil. , Credit: U.S Fish and Wildlife Service

Diesel fuel recovery at the Lower New Harmony Road Bridge on 3-21-2018. , Credit: Blair Photo EVV


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Case Contact

Bloomington Ecological Services Field Office

Bloomington, IN | (812) 334-4261 | http://www.fws.gov/midwest/bloomington/

Case Trustees

AO Bureau

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